“Just look at Anthony!”: Searching for Identity, Teaching Music

By Anthony Cao¹
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¹ Madison West High School
Source: If Colors Could Be Heard , pp 148-155
Publication Date: November 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1386/9781835951675_18
Language: English
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Throughout my musical journey - as a student and a teacher - I have had experiences that made me question where I belonged as a mixed-race person. In this chapter, I explore times when I have felt most connected to the White part of my identity, recognized a connection to being Asian, sensed a belonging with a larger group of people of Color, or simply felt confused. I hope that some of these reflections will bring insight to my own story and to how we can help to empower our own students as they are go through their own journey of self-discovery.

Keywords: Asian ; Asian-American ; belonging ; Identity ; invisibility ; mixed ; multiracial ; Music education ; social construction of race ; visibility

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References

Cayari, C. (2021). The education of Asian American music professionals: Exploration and development of ethnic identity. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, Spring, 7–24.
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Grady, C. (2020, June 30). Why the term “BIPOC” is so complicated, explained by linguists. Vox. https://www.vox.com/2020/6/30/21300294/bipoc-what-does-it-mean-critical-race-linguistics-jonathan-rosa-deandra-miles-hercules
[Google Scholar]
Park Hong, C. (2020). Minor feelings: An Asian American reckoning. One World.
[Google Scholar]

References

Cayari, C. (2021). The education of Asian American music professionals: Exploration and development of ethnic identity. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, Spring, 7–24.
[Google Scholar]
Grady, C. (2020, June 30). Why the term “BIPOC” is so complicated, explained by linguists. Vox. https://www.vox.com/2020/6/30/21300294/bipoc-what-does-it-mean-critical-race-linguistics-jonathan-rosa-deandra-miles-hercules
[Google Scholar]
Park Hong, C. (2020). Minor feelings: An Asian American reckoning. One World.
[Google Scholar]

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